The Endless Memory Part 3 by Eilidh17

Rated Mature for content

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The Endless Memory

Teal'c argued for a night time arrival, I wanted day, while Carter did her bit by figuring out the planetary time difference between P2R-119 and Earth. Saying I won is a bit childish but my team got the idea I wasn't in the mood to be stood over or talked down to at this point. Wise move on their part. Keep your opinions to yourselves and your eyes on the job – that was all I wanted, and grateful for not having my orders turning into a dark briefing room moment, that was all I got.

My point was simple. No way in hell did I want those bastards on '119 to know we were coming. Hell, if I had a ship at my disposal I would have taken the long way there, but Daniel doesn't have time, and we don't have the resources. A night time arrival meant the glow of the 'gate lighting up the landscape – a bigger nightlight you couldn't find. Point made, orders received with a chorus of "sir", and the combined teams of SG-1, SG-2, and Fraiser and her medic, hit the gear-up room.

Not once did I ever think this was going to be easy, and a huge part of me was secretly itching for a fight, an excuse to put the plan I'd been carefully mulling over in my mind into action. I had to hold back though, rein in my impulses and look at what this mission was all about. Getting help for Daniel was top of my list… revenge had to take a backseat.

Funny thing about backseats though – they always see a lot of action.

At least something is working our way. We exit the 'gate on '119 to a clear skies and not a soul in sight. Pretty much what happened last time. There are two paths leading off in opposite directions from the Stargate. The first leads directly to the enclave of the monks which rests above a shanty village that we never got to visit. The second, as we found out much later, leads to the temple where Daniel read the walls and started this whole squirrelly adventure. At the very least it would provide us with a quicker route back to the 'gate.

"We clear?" I say to Feretti, as the last of our team members clears the 'gate and starts to fan out. Lou gives me a wry smile and shields his eyes with his hands, casting his gaze down the path that leads to the temple.

"As a bell," he replies dryly, with a small nod and a pat to his bulging vest pocket. He's a good man to take into the field, is Feretti. Our conversation is over in a few words and yet we say so much. The look he gives me as he gathers his team with a jut of his chin and a few wordless hand movements, says it all. He's just as devastated about Daniel as the rest of us. The bond between these two men stretches all the way back to our first mission to Abydos, when Lou was a cocky Lieutenant and Daniel a wheezing sneezing geek, two more unlikely friends I've never seen. Well, not counting myself and Daniel.

Speaking of Daniel.

We bought him through the 'gate safely cradled in Teal'c's arms. It probably wasn't the best means of travel but it was certainly going to be the safest if we ran in to trouble on the other side. No sooner had we exited and found the vicinity of the 'gate to be clear, then Janet and her medic had ushered Teal'c off to one side of the dais and set Daniel down on top of a sleeping bag. My heart lurched at the sight and it took a few calming breaths to bring it under control. He hadn't so much as moved or cried in hours, and I could tell from Janet's pinched expression that his prognosis was growing dimmer by the moment.

"Carter," I hiss, catching her moving on the edge of my vision.

Tilting her head in my direction, her attention firmly set on her small patrol area, she whispers back, "Sir?"

"How much C4 are you carrying?"

"Standard supply, sir, why?"

Ripping open a Velcro pocket on my vest I pull out two blocks and toss them at her. "Take these and catch up to SG-2. Feretti will fill you in on the details."

I catch her look as it morphs from surprise to confusion. "You, ah, don't need me to…?" she asks, nodding in Daniel's direction.

"No, Carter." I can't explain to her my sudden change of heart, my reason for wanting her with Feretti and his team. I trust her implicitly, with my life, but so much has gone wrong, so much has been lost, and I don't want her anywhere near these bastards when we confront them. Bad enough I have to take Daniel and Fraiser. Nope, the less I have to worry about, the better. "Get going."

I ignore her pained wince because I know she's a good soldier and no way in hell would she let her emotions become the drive behind making piss poor judgements. Lips pursed, she acknowledges my order with the barest of nods and tucks the extra blocks of C4 in the pocket of her vest.

Watching her trot down the path after SG-2, I let out a long held breath as she fades into the undergrowth, the tight knot of fear and apprehension in my chest loosening just a fraction.

I know time is a wasting here. One hour we had when the decision to return was made, and we used up at least twenty minutes just getting our asses kitted up and through the gate.

I turn my attention back to Janet, who's tucking her stethoscope back in her pack and shaking her head slowly, looking for all the world like she's lost her best friend. Which isn't far from the truth.

"Doc?"

"I just don't know, sir," she says, carding her fingers through Daniel's hair and pushing it back off his face. "He's not responding to stimuli anymore and my efforts to stabilize his temperature and heart rate aren't working. His body is shutting down." The hopelessness in her eyes matches the tone of her voice, its time to end this one way or another.

~oOo~

"You have returned."

Get outta here! I'm standing so close to this guy I can feel his hot breath on my face and he goes and does that whole state the obvious gig. Man is a fool, first class.

"We have some unfinished business." Squaring my shoulders, I push my face in even closer so he's left in no doubt as to my sincerity. "You," I add, firmly pressing a finger into his chest, and not giving a damn whether he likes it or not, "are going to undo whatever it was you did to my team mate, and you're going to do it now."

Unblinking, he casually slides his gaze from my face to my finger and pushes my hand away. "I will do no such thing. Your friend sealed his fate when he read from the forbidden walls."

Ding dong, wrong answer. Here I was worried about Carter's emotions versus piss poor judgment and I'm barely holding on by a thread. "See, there, right there is the problem. Did you think to tell him it was forbidden before you let him in? Daniel told you he was a linguist, you knew that from the start, and yet it didn't cross your mind to tell him there was some penalty for being brighter than the average Joe?"

"Ignorance is not an excuse," he declares calmly, head cocked to one side meeting my steady gaze.

"What?" I take a deep breathe, willing my heart to slow down. "Of all the lame-ass comments I've ever…. He's dying, you bastard, dying! Is that part of the punishment? Because if it is, I have to say, why didn't ya kill him in the first place?"

"You must be mistaken, we-"

The grip I have on my P-90 is starting to slip from my sweaty palms as I straighten my shoulders once more in an attempt to tower over this idiot. "You what? You don't have a fucking clue what you've done, do you!" I thumb my radio, my gaze never leaving this guy's face. "Teal'c!"

"O'Neill."

"Bring him in."

Janet, the medic, and Teal'c make their way into the monastery with Daniel once again held firmly in Teal'c's arms. Trailing a thunder cloud, Teal'c's jaw is set and his eyes so intently focused on the monk I'm expecting to see a hole in the guy's forehead. Would save me the chore of boring one there myself, but not the intense pleasure.

This guy is all class. Without so much as a blink in response to what I can only describe as a Jaffa death stare, he shuffles forward, his face schooled, and sweeps his gaze over Janet and her medic, before settling on Daniel.

Not a word. He barely gives him a second look before gathering in the sides of his robes and spinning back towards me. "I do not understand your concern."

You have got to be kidding me!

"I'm sorry." Janet's steady and calming voice drives a wedge between the monk and my next intention which was so not going to be sanctioned. "You should be addressing your comments to me. I am Doctor Jackson's physician."

Still holding my gaze, the monk's nose wrinkles into a sneer, and I wonder if his reaction is to our presence or Janet's in particular. I don't recall any uneasiness towards Carter from either of the monks last time we were here, but then their attention was mostly focused on Daniel.

Lips pursed, head turned to the side but not far enough to actually make contact with Janet, the monk nods once and closes his eyes. "When the punishment has cancelled the crime, your friend will be restored. I have told you this, and it will be."

"God damn it!" My P-90 swings freely on its vest clip and I've got this guy by the shoulders because I'm so far over his fucking riddles I can't see daylight. "We can do this the hard way or my way. Take your pick!"

With cold compassion bleeding from every pore, the monk looks me up and down in a measuring manner, his eyes almost gloating in victory. Like Hell! This is one fight I'm up for, and I'll suffer the consequences gladly.

"I will not waiver in my belief, colonel. Your threats are idle, and my resolve is strong."

"Right," I sneer, releasing one shoulder and slapping my vest. "I wonder how far that resolve of yours extends. Let's test it out, huh?" With a twitch of a smile and an equally deadpan expression, I thumb the button on my radio. "Carter?"

"Sir."

"Fire in the hole."

Scant seconds later, the monastery rattles from the concussive blast of a single block of C4 going about its explosive business less than fifty feet away. Windows rattle, the floor heaves every so slightly as it shifts above the shock wave, and I'm expecting the monk to leap out of his skin and crash to his knees wailing forgiveness.

Seems he's made it his lot in life to piss me off with his poker faced expression.

"Impressive," he offers coolly, voice overlaid with sarcasm. "Do you often use such measures to get your way, colonel? Or was that something new for my enjoyment?"

Sonofabitch! "Carter!"

"Yes, sir."

"Round two."

Moments later another explosion rocks the building, but nothing like the last blast. I'm waiting for the monk's snide comment and he doesn't disappoint me.

"Not nearly as impressive as your first attempt."

"It's further away."

"Really?"

"Yep." I release his shoulders and rock back on my heels, holding back a self satisfied smile that's just itching to break out. This guy isn't buying a clue and that works to my advantage. "Want another one?"

His stare is cold and even. Doesn't even flinch, and in a battle of wits, this guy is one tough competitor.

This time I don't even bother calling Carter. Thumbing my radio on then off I stand back and wait. Seconds later a third blast grumbles its way to our ears with barely enough force to be noticeable.

"I can keep doing this all day, 'ya know. No bother for me. Doesn't help Daniel, of course, but then you don't seem to care about that, now do you?"

"As I have said-"

Climbing back into his face, I match his cold gaze. "I know what you've said but now, see, here's the clincher. I'm wondering just how much you and your pals really like that nice temple you've got yourselves. You know the one – lotsa' nicely decorated walls with tempting words that will get the reader in a whole load of hurt. Remember that place? I hope you do because every blast the good major trips, is one blast closer to bringing that place to the ground. Kapeesh?"

"Colonel!"

I really wanted to finish this nice little repartee I've got going with the guy, but Daniel, whose timing is a matter of SGC legend, decides the fun and games are over and starts seizing in Teal'c's arms.

"Put him down!" Janet orders, dropping her pack to the ground and rummaging through its contents. "Damn! Roll him onto his side. Hold him, Jerry."

The scene playing out before us is one we were all hoping to avoid. Fraiser had done her best to brief us all on what was happening to Daniel, and the myriad of scenarios that could play out. She'd voiced her opinion loudly on our decision to take him off world, despite admitting she didn't have the ability to save him. One hour she'd said when the decision was made, and wincing at her words, I take another hesitant look at my watch. This time there is no holding back a disappointed groan when I realize this seizure is perfectly timed with his next cycle.

"Phenobarbital in! Jerry, roll him and grab me a survival blanket. Teal'c, watch his legs."

The monk looks on with morbid fascination as Janet and her medic struggle to stabilize Daniel. Drugs are infused with practiced skill as his body jerks and shakes in the throws of seemingly never-ending seizure. I try not to watch, it's not something I ever want to see, but I at least owe Daniel the dignity of seeing this through to the end. After all we've been through these last few days you'd think I wouldn't be affected by this… but I'm torn. A part of me wants to help, while the other part of me wants to slam the monk up against the wall and rip out his…

"What is this?"

Ever been so pissed off you could snap a man's neck and actually know you wouldn't regret it?

Damn the questions, damn the consequences?

I clinch my hands into fists in an effort to put them to some other use besides smacking the crap outta this guy, and, moving in quietly behind him, I make sure he can feel my breath against his ear. "Take a good look at your own handy work, ass-hole." He flinches at my unexpected closeness, and I grab his arm to stop him pulling away. "Your punishment has just exceeded the crime. Every four hours right? You decided every four hours he would relive his most horrific experience. Well, congratulations, you got that part right. Only this little parlour trick of yours forgot when to stop, and now it's killing him."

I can feel the slightest of trembles under my touch which only makes me harden my grip. No way is he getting out of this.

Janet rocks on her haunches and scrubs a hand across her weary face. I feel her tiredness. Dark rings circle her eyes, her mouth held tight and grim. We're all trapped in this nightmare together but Janet has the added personal pain of desperation and failure. One hand resting on Daniel's shoulder, her lips twitch with the barest of smiles, and I can the shudders wracking his body starting to abate.

"Good boy," she mutters under her breath, as she lays a soothing hand on his cheek.

"Doc?"

Janet meets my concerned look with one of her own and shrugs. "His body can't withstand another cycle, sir. We're already seeing the results of multiple organ shutdown – renal failure and hypotension. I could go on."

I would prefer it if you didn't, doc.

"I do not understand."

Well, that has to be an understatement. The monk has been standing there watching this play out with such dark interest that I was sure he'd seen it all before. Snapped back to reality, my hand still tightly gripping his arm, I spin him to face me, and shoot back, "He's dying! Not clear enough for you?"

Shaking his head slowly, the monk lowers his chin to his chest and sighs audibly. "It was not our intent. We are merely those who protect the temple and its sacred words. This duty has been handed down over time and none but our own, save your friend here, have ever broken the code. Those who have succeeded suffered the punishment and recovered from their ordeal."

"See." I find myself still hanging on to this guy but doing one of Daniel's little patent dances on the spot, my frustration coming close to overshadowing my judgment. "I don't get it. Why even let anyone read your damn walls if all you're going to do is punish them for getting it right?"

"It is all in the learning."

"Crap!" I push this guy away with as much force as I can safely control and pick up my P-90, abandoned on its clip. Testing the weight of it in my hands, I grumble my displeasure at the absurdity of his words through clenched teeth. "Fix it!"

"I-"

"You fix it or I'll have Carter make short work of this monastery and your precious temple. With you and your buddies in it."

"You wouldn't!"

He doesn't know me from squat. No lack of excuses here and hang the repercussions. "You wanna test that theory?" I slap a hand to my radio. "Carter!"

"Yes, sir."

"No!" He holds his hands up in defeat, eyes wide and pleading. "If I fix this you have to promise me one thing."

Kidding, right? Do I look like a one man trade delegation? "What?"

"That you will speak of this to no-one and you will leave this world and never return."

I've got one hand raised in the air, finger crooked, and about to go off slightly more than half-cocked at this guy about why the hell we should keep our mouths shut, when Janet puts paid to my would-have-been rant.

"No time!" She shouts, her hand pressed firmly against the pulse point on Daniel's neck. "Jerry, defib!" Pulling scissors from her vest she makes short work of his over-sized t-shirt, pushing the tattered remains aside, and leaving his chest bare. "If you're going to do something, I suggest doing it now. He's in full arrest!"

I'm not sure which of us moved first. I had fully intended on grabbing this guy and dragging his worthless carcass over to my dying team mate and shoving the point of my P-90 where the sun don't shine. I'll give him this much credit though… he moved a lot quicker than I did. Not sure if it was the shock of Janet's words or the urgency with which they were delivered, but when I finally took stock of myself, the monk was already standing over him.

"You must away," he said, with a flick of his wrist.

Janet was caught mid-action, the defibrillator paddles poised directly above Daniel's chest as she looked to me for guidance, brows furrowed with indecision. I could only nod and watch as she sat back on her bottom and inched herself away, her wavering hesitation slowing her retreat.

The monk stood over Daniel's prone form and clapped his hands together, holding them there. Pulling them apart achingly slow, blue tendrils of electricity seemed to flow between his palms, twisting and weaving about each other until they formed into an incandescent ball of energy. Forcing his palms outwards, towards Daniel, the monk stepped back and let his hands fall to his side. The ball seemed to grow, pulsing in intensity as it drifted away from the monk and hovered in the air.

The air around Daniel started to distort, and as though this was a cue to move, I caught Janet and her medic rising to their feet and backing away slowly. Drifting lazily now, the ball settled above Daniel's un-moving chest, and with a brilliant pulse, encased him entirely in a wash of blinding blue light.

The air was electrified. Every inch of my skin felt like it was being kissed by static discharge and the hairs on my arms and chest were standing on end. The feeling was as intense as it was captivating. With a momentary pang of guilt, I realized Carter would have been dead impressed

As fast as the energy had enveloped Daniel, it dissipated, gathering itself back in to its ball form and collapsing into nothing. Shaking away my relief at no longing feeling like I was crawling out of my skin, I push my way past the monk in my haste to get to Daniel.

"Yes!" Whole, and very much his adult self, I hold off dropping to my knees to check him out for myself, in favor of letting Janet take care of her business. She gives the monk a very curious but intense stare as she once again goes for the pulse point on Daniel's neck and smiles her relief.

"Not the best pulse you've ever had, Doctor Jackson, but we're not going for looks here."

I want to whoop, but we've got unfinished business, and I can see from the relieved but concerned look on Janet's face that Daniel still has issues.

"We need to get him back to the infirmary, sir."

I got that, Doc, but thanks. "Teal'c?"

"I have a stretcher outside, O'Neill."

"J'ak?" The voice is weak and rough but recognizably Daniel, and pushing my immediate concerns away for the moment, I squat down by his side.

"Here, buddy."

He's trying to open his eyes, but looking like his eyelids must way a ton, and the effort is just too great, they stay firmly closed. Heck, I'm amazed he's even conscious, and if the surprised expression on Fraiser's face is any indication, so is she.

Face pinched in pain, Daniel groans softly and coughs, "No more."

There aren't too many times Daniel and I truly understand what each other is trying to say without going into lengthy conversation, but this is one of them. The effort of those few words is too much and the loll of his head to one side tells me he's unconscious, probably the best thing for him at the moment. I leave him to Fraiser and Teal'c, safe in the knowledge that by the time I'm finished here they'll have him on his way back to the 'gate, and home.

"You must leave now."

No way had I forgotten about Mr. Happy. If he thinks saving Daniel's life was going to earn him some moral credit in my books then he was sadly mistaken. His brief moment of messing with Mother Nature over, and he's back to barbing me with recriminating looks aimed at getting us the hell of his planet. For some absurd reason a picture of Ba'al's mother ship hovering over the monastery pops into my mind and I wonder if these people have ever gone up against the Goa'uld. They'd be mighty interested in this guy's fancy light show, not to mention the potential for new hosts.

Looking down at Daniel being readied for transport, I can already hear his moans of morality if he learned I'd turned this world over to the Goa'uld out of spite. Sue me, but right now, I really don't give a damn.

~oOo~

We've been left alone, a good thing really as I didn't want an escort back to the 'gate, nor another excuse to throw the monk into the wash of the wormhole as it forms. I called ahead once we'd cleared the monastery and had SG-2 and Carter meet us, allaying her fears about Daniel the moment she answered my hail. Didn't take a genius to know her mind had been working overtime playing out worst case scenarios and scaring herself witless. Not that she'd ever admit to it though.

They're waiting for us when we arrive, and I force a smile when I notice the 'gate is already active and waiting for Air O'Neill to depart. Good girl, always thinking on her feet; she'll make a fine team leader one day.

"Carter."

"Sir?" She looks up at me from her position next to Daniel's stretcher where she's resting her hand on his neck – no doubt verifying that the tales we've told her of his miraculous upsizing have been proven true. Like I'd lie to her!

Holding her back as SG-2 and Janet step through to home with their precious cargo, I wait till the last person has disappeared into the wormhole. "Remote detonator," I request flatly but with a waggle of my fingers.

"Sir, you-"

"Carter, hand it over."

Holding my gaze for the briefest of moments, she pulls open a pocket on her vest and pulls out the remote detonator, eyeing it suspiciously before handing it over.

Testing its weight in my hand, I cocked my head towards the active 'gate. "Now, off you go, I'll be right behind you."

Thankfully, I don't need to ask twice. Carter nods once, turns, and I follow her up to the base of the gate and watch as she passes through. I'll be right behind her, she knows this, but I've got a bit of unfinished work to take care of first, and I don't need a witness.

Flicking the safety, I tease the detonator switch with my thumb and look out in the general direction of the temple.

"No more, Daniel."

The End